Ahead of West Bromwich Albion’s 19th game of the 2011/12 season on New Year’s Day, here is a comparison between Peter Odemwingie’s performance this season compared to last, since the addition of Shane Long.
| Peter Odemwingie | 2010/11 | 2011/12 |
| Minutes Played | 2682 | 965 |
| Shots | 104 | 30 |
| Goals | 15 | 4 |
| Conversion Rate | 14.42% | 13.33% |
| Shots on counter attack | 7 | 2 |
| Successful dribbles | 56 | 12 |
| Chances created | 57 | 16 |
| Assists | 7 | 1 |
The table above shows the Nigerian striker’s chance conversion rate has not had a significant drop of any kind.
Having played just over one-third of the time he did last season, he is not on course to match any of the key statistics he did in his debut Premier League season. Last season’s top scorer for West Brom has found the net on just 4 occasions so far, with half of those coming in his last 3 games.
The former Lokomotiv Moscow striker partnered a number of strikers struggling to hold down a place in the first team last season; Marc-Antoine Fortune, Carlos Vela, Simon Cox, Roman Bednar and Ishmael Miller. Here is what Fortune and Vela delivered last season:
| Marc-Antoine Fortune | 2010/11 |
| Minutes Played | 1114 |
| Shots | 23 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Conversion Rate | 8.70% |
| Shots on counter attack | 1 |
| Successful dribbles | 9 |
| Chances created | 8 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Carlos Vela | 2010/11 |
| Minutes Played | 317 |
| Shots | 11 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Conversion Rate | 18.18% |
| Shots on counter attack | 1 |
| Successful dribbles | 4 |
| Chances created | 10 |
| Assists | 1 |
Marc-Antoine Fortune in particular was not the most-productive of strikers last season to put it politely.
In the summer, Roy Hodgson recruited Shane Long from Reading off the back of his first prolific season; both scoring goals and winning penalties.
The Irish striker made an immediate impact for the Baggies, scoring on his debut (with help from some poor David de Gea goalkeeping) and then capitalising on a defensive mistake to score against Chelsea in his second game. Long has scored 3 more goals since then to lead the team heading into the new year.
Here is how Shane Long has performed during the first half of his debut West Brom season:
| Shane Long | 2011/12 |
| Minutes Played | 1348 |
| Shots | 25 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Conversion Rate | 20.00% |
| Shots on counter attack | 1 |
| Successful dribbles | 6 |
| Chances created | 13 |
| Assists | 0 |
Peter Odemwingie appeared to get his confidence back after his goal in a 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers before Christmas. That was backed up by a goal in a 3-2 victory over Newcastle.
The two-footed striker (12 left-footed goals, 7 right-footed) has quick over a short distance which has resulted in him successfully latching onto through balls past the last man. He runs into the channels well and is a good dribbler of the ball. Being both a goalscorer and a creator of chances for his team mates has seen Roy Hodgson stay loyal with him despite goal droughts both this season and last.
With West Brom taking 7 points from their last 3 games, confidence must be on a high ahead of the lunch time kick off on New Year’s Day at home to Everton.
